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Biography

One of England's most versatile character actors, Jim Broadbent was born on 24 May, 1949, in Lincolnshire, the youngest son of furniture maker Roy Broadbent and sculptress Dee Broadbent. Jim attended a Quaker boarding school in Reading before successfully applying for a place at an art school. His heart was in acting, though, and he would later transfer to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Following his 1972 graduation, he began his professional career on the stage, performing with the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and as part of the National Theatre of Brent, a two-man troupe which he co-founded. In addition to his theatrical work, Broadbent did steady work on television, working for such directors as Mike Newell and Stephen Frears. Broadbent made his film début in 1978 with a small part in Jerzy Skolimowski's The Shout (1978).

Behind the scenes

Broadbent with Harrison Ford in a scene from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in 1972.

He is the son of Roy Broadbent, who was involved in converting a Methodist Church into a theatre. It was later renamed the Broadbent Theatre after his death in 1971.

Honorary President of the Lindsey Rural Players

Voice of Vroomfondel in the BBC radio series version of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Shortly after winning his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Iris (2001/I), he was interviewed by Joan Rivers, who apparently didn't even know what nationality he was. On live TV, Rivers said, "Here we have Jim Broadbent, all the way from Australia. You're Australian aren't you?" But there were to be no tantrums from the star - the mild-mannered actor replied, "No, I'm British."

At The Orange British Academy Film Awards on Monday, 28 January, 2002, he was nominated for the best Performance by an Actor in a leading role Award for his role in the film Iris.

Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in Winnie-the-Pooh.

Broadbent has the distinction of being one of three actors appearing in the Harry Potter series to have played the title role in Doctor Who (the others being John Hurt and David Tennant). In Broadbent's case, he played a parody of the Doctor in a BBC-produced charity spoof, The Curse of Fatal Death in 1999.

Along with Warwick Davis and Predrag Bjelac, he is one of only three actors to have appeared in both the Harry Potter and Narnia franchises - albeit in a separate Narnia film from the other two.

Select filmography

Jim Broadbent as Professor Digory Kirke in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe